I am planning to go to central America (Costa Rica + Panama) for a rather budget holiday, and I am wondering what people usually do with their documents, money, cameras, etc. when staying in a budget hotel (without a safe in the room) and wish to go swimming/diving? The two obvious options would be to leave all your stuff in your hotel, and even worse - leave them on the beach. But I guess if my stuff gets stolen in both of these cases, I am not going to get anything from the insurance company.

7 Answers
7

For one thing, you should choose a reputable hotel/hostel with employees you can trust. Then just leave your valuables in the room (or a locker in a hostel dorm). I stayed in cheap (but good) places (USD 8-11 / night) and had no problems in Costa Rica or Panama.

To find out which places are "reputable", I'd rely on online resources (reviews on Hostelworld for hostels, and e.g. TripAdvisor for hotels and guesthouses), as well as recommendations from people I meet while travelling in the region.

Of course, if you have bad luck, you might still have your stuff stolen even in a place with a good reputation. In general, however, I think this is the best approach and the one causing you least stress.

On the beach, you'll probably have at least something valuable on you, such as hotel keys etc. I tend to do these things when on the beach alone:

Wrap all your stuff (bags, clothes, etc) inside a towel when leaving them, making a big bundle, so that random passers-by cannot immediately see what you have, and it's easier to notice if someone tampers with your possessions. (A Cuban friend taught me this is what they do on the beach. Simple but quite useful.)

Choose a place near "honest looking" people. Even better, ask them kindly if they could keep an eye on your stuff while you're swimming.

you can also bring your keys in your shorts as well
–
jbergerFeb 2 '12 at 15:51

2

@jbergers, keys and salt water might not go well together. Many dive shops sell cheap water tight canisters you can wear under your diving suit or hang around your neck
–
user141Feb 6 '12 at 13:03

3

But keep in mind, that thieves could be very often friendly and "honest looking" people, so you will easy trust them.
–
Peter KrejciAug 1 '12 at 22:25

1

I believe one's intuition can usually be relied on for determining who you can more or less trust. (I'd say this is essential in solo travel; otherwise you'd be paranoid all the time.) In the beach scenario, I might ask a family with children, or a couple, or some older people; not someone who seems "too" friendly or interested in me.
–
JonikAug 2 '12 at 6:49

One problem is that hotels and hostels have a certain degree of staff turnover. Just because a place gets good reviews doesn't mean a subsequent employee won't prey on a guest given a tempting opportunity.
–
hippietrailJun 27 '14 at 0:56

My method is to keep valuables in a piece of luggage that locks. It won't stop seriously determined thieves from slashing open your luggage, but if they're that determined, they could probably break open a cheap safe, too. For documents/money and other small items, I try to hide them on a hidden or hard-to-access interior pocket within my locked luggage so it's not visible immediately upon opening.

For things that I must keep on me (keys, mostly), I use Jonik's method of bundling them in my clothes/towel. I also try to set up on the beach at least a few meters away from other people so that I can notice more easily if someone is lingering near my stuff. (Not possible to do on some beaches that are small and crowded, but I do it when I can.)

In general, don't be paranoid as it spoils the fun!
Here are some specific tips I've gathered over the years!

At the Hotel

Ask the owner to take valuables such as passports into safe keeping.

Lock your stuff inside your baggage and strap your baggage to the bed - It might slow down an opportunist enough to reconsider. If they have to break in to your luggage you have proof for insurance

Take the room key off the fob. It makes it easier to hide the key and if it is stolen they will not be able to find your room so easily.

At the Beach

Make friends with nearby people. Keep an eye on their stuff while they are swimming and ask them to return the favor.

You can buy waterproof neck wallets from supermarkets and airports for a few pounds. They will keep credit cards / keys / cash damp but safe while you swim.

Consider a waterproof camera/case so that you can take it with you while you are swimming.

When Diving

Get the dive shop to keep your valuables.

On the boat, keep your stuff out of sight in a small pack and keep secured so it doesn't go overboard. Divers are a pretty close-knit group I've never heard of anything getting stolen from a boat at sea.

I've never had money or valuables stolen at a beach but I have had my towel, t-shirt, and sunscreen stolen while I was swimming - so I'm not so sure the "clever idea" is so great.
–
hippietrailSep 26 '12 at 10:38

I saw a travel show about pickpockets that showed Guy A distracting you by asking you to watch his stuff while Guy B (behind your chair) took your stuff. Others who have watched it may be a little hostile to you when you make this request...
–
Kate GregorySep 26 '12 at 14:22

Pac-Safe makes wire mesh bags to make it harder for someone to steal your stuff. You lock the bag around your stuff and to something substantial. I have never actually tried them to know how they work, though.

For the larger stuff that you don't necessarily need to always have with you, I'd keep them in a safe at the hotel room. Even at cheap hotels most now have a digital safe. When the room doesn't have a safe, I sometimes ask the hotel concierge to look after it.

For room keys, wallets/money and other really small items, I keep them in a waterproof component in my bathing suit. This means I don't have to leave them unattended on a beach.